Thebes, Boeotia Plate coin

Thebes, strategially located on a low plateau surrounding the plains of Boeotia, in central Greece.

Thebes was important to the Mycenaean centre during the bronze age.First inhabited around 3000BCE.
Was also a powerful military presence during the classical period. A constant rival with Athens and Sparta for regional dominance.

According to legend Thebes is the birth place of Pan-Hellenic, hero Hercules. And known for some players like Cadmus, Oedipus, and Dionysos.
I absolutely love military/war history, ancient history was full of it. For that reason and because my coin is military I'm just gonna go with brief Theban battle history.
In 480 BCE, Thebes sided with Persia when Xerxes invaded Greece. During the second Persian war Thebes surrendered to Peria, then sided with them against Athens. Athens ended victorious.
During the Peloponnesian War 431-404 BCE, sided with Sparta against Athens. They defeated Athens but Sparta didn't give Thebes the recognition they felt they deserved. So in 375 BCE Thebes defeated Sparta in the Battle of Tegyra.
There were two great Generals that were responsible for Thebes military greatness and regional dominance. They were Pelopidas and Epamindonas.
The Theban army used a rather profound and unusual tactic that brought them "fame". Founded by the Gorgidas was the "Sacred Bond" made up of 300 infantrymen linked in hemoerotic pairs (say what).
The idea was that soldiers would fight better if their lovers were at their sides. This method was used for the first time as an independent unit by Pelopidas in 375 BC. At the Battle of Leuktra, the Spartans were defeated. The victory monument built by the Thebans is still visible today. (Wish I could find a photo, sorry)
364 BC Pelopidos, while victorious was killed during the Battle of Kynoskepephalai. A battle which forced Macedonia to join the Theban led Boeotian League.
In 362 BC Epamindonas was killed during a Spartan-Athenian led alliance at the Battle of Mantinea.
With the death of Thebes two great Generals came the Theban down fall.
The then young future King of Macedonia, Philip who was taken hostage by Pelopidas (before his death). Philip was taken to Thebes were he studied military tactics, only later to defeat Thebes.
Philip defeated the up til then undefeated Sacred Band in 338 BC.
Also that same year Thebes joined rivals Corinth and Athens to face the invading Philip, now the Macedonian King at the Battle of Chaironeia.
Obviously Philips invading force was victorious. Philip installs a Macedonian garrison at Thebes.
Alexander The Great (cool) destroys Thebes in 335 BC. A show of force to other city-states of Greece who may have revolted against him. Alexander then sold all the Thebans into slavery.
This is just a quick run down of Theban military history. It's really an interesting subject and worth looking into.

Now for one of my newer purchases from the recent Aegean auction. Not a beauty but a type I've wanted for sometime and its a Lindgren plate coin. I couldn't pass at the price either.

Boeotia, Thebes 379-338 BC, AE10

Boeotia, Thebes 379-338 BC, AE10, 1.24g: Obv: Boeotian shield Rev: Trident. Lindgren 1517 (This coin). Lindgren plate coin

Please share anything you feel is relative

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Lovely! I have a couple of Lindgren plate coins and it's a fun feeling to own one.

 

Thanks for the write-up. I like it.
Here is my Boeotian Shield

379-371 B.C. Hemidrachm 2.5gm, AR13mm,
Obv: Boeotian Shield
Rev: Kantharos and Club




View attachment 657326

 

That they are, thanks

Thanks. I didn't want to ramble on, it's a great piece of history with a lot more than I briefly listed. If you like war history It's worth the research even if some of its hard to swallow.
Like your sheild.

 

That's an awesome little coin Smojo, nice find. Thanks for the nice write up too.

 

Congrats on the catch. Interesting info!

 

Actually, that coin is pretty damned good for the type. The bronzes are sometimes struck wildly off-center, and they have a much, much lower survival rate than the silver. Add the Lindgren provenance, and the coin IS a beauty. You're lucky I didn't see it first!

 

Thanks JA.
You know where I live and had only seen these either in books or online.
When I saw this in auction I threw a bid not expecting to get it. I had absolutely no challenges so I got it at opening bid, I was amazed.
It's nice in hand

 

Nice job @Smojo. I love the coin, I love the write up and I love the provenance!

 

Excellent coin @Smojo - I enjoyed the history lesson!


Bronze AE 13, BCD Boiotia 61a; SNG Christomanos802; Winterthur 1928; GroseMcClean 5635, pl. 203, 5, VF, weight1.924 g, maximum diameter 13.1 mm, federal mint, 338 - c. 300 B.C.; obverse Boiotian ox-hide shield; reverse BOIΩTΩN (upward from lower left), ornamented trident head upward, curved crossbar, dolphin upward on right, all in round incuse; ex BCD Collection.

 

Great post, Smojo!

 

Super write-up @Smojo. Thanks for the interesting info.


BOEOTIA FEDERAL COINAGE
AR Hemidrachm
OBVERSE: Boeotian shield
REVERSE: Kantheros, club of Herakles above, BO to left, I and crescent to right
Struck at Thespiae mint 336-315 BC
1.9g, 14mm
SNG Copenhagen 176-177

 

Cool buy, and thanks for the writeup!

BOEOTIA, Thebes
AE14. 1.71g, 13.6mm, BOEOTIA, Federal Coinage, Thebae, circa 300-250 BC. SNG Cop 179. O: Boeotian shield. R: ΒΟΙΩΤΩΝ (upward on left), ornamented trident head upward, with straight crossbar; dolphin upward on right.

 

Nice coin and write up smojo!

 

Neat find an write up.

 

Cool coins guys!!

Loved the write-up too!!

Sadly, my sole example of a 'Boeotian Shield' was sold years ago.

 

Thanks for the kind words and cool coins everyone

 

Here are a few Thebes staters from my collection, covering several generations of the city-state's coinage. I believe the last two coins are ex BCD Collection. The last coin is a personal favorite of mine. It's really stunning in hand, with a large flan typical of this magistrate and lovely old collection toning. Though I primarily collect Roman Republic, I've often dabbled in Greek coins that appeal to me as an expression of my Greek heritage!

 

I also have a Lindgren plate coin. I don't think I have ever shown it to anyone. It started weeping light green powder in 2003 but I believe I was able to arrest that problem.


Sicily, Kamarina, 413-405 BC, AE16 trias
Obverse: Gorgon
Reverse: KAMA; Owl
Lindgren Europe #429 (this coin)
ex-H. C. Lindgren, list 77, November 2002, lot 36

I admire your Boeotian shield. I have half a shield:

BOIOTIA, Thebes. 525-480 BC. AR hemiobol (0.53 g).
Obv: Half Boiotian shield
Rev: Square incuse with a recessed large triangle (divided by a line), a small triangle, and a square (divided by a line).
Ref: BMC p. 33, 13.
Classical Numismatic Group, Triton IX, January 2006, lot 326 (BCD collection). Ex Dr. J.S. Wilkinson Collection (Malter 49, 15 November 1992), lot 422.

Probably the half-shield was used as the obverse to help the consumer distinguish between the obol (which featured a full shield) and this coin. There was also a rare 3/2 obol in BCD's collection with three half shields.

 

Wow @Carausius I see what you mean, that reverse is just awsome.

Thank you.
I love those hemiobols, great little coins with some awsome details.